Getting to know Louise Tucker of 'Poach my Lobster'
Smart cookies that you are, you will have spied 'Poach my Lobster', our newest range at Nero's Notes. A lovely form factor with fountain pen friendly paper, there are great edition to the range. (And to Stuart's desk.)
We thought we'd find out a little more about the brains behind the brand, Louise Tucker...
What’s behind your concept?
I love all things to do with print, paper and food; in my other life I edit cookbooks, write a food blog (wtfdoieattonight.com) and am an avid cook. So, a few years ago I started a small publishing company, called Poach my Lobster. The name came from both the practicality of trying to find a food website address that hadn’t already been used but, also, from a desire to demystify cooking. Lobster, for example, is seen as a somewhat ‘posh’ and expensive food but, in fact, like oysters, it was once very cheap and like most seafood it requires very little preparation: you poach it, that’s it.
The company tagline was ‘You can poach a lobster; we’ll show you how’ and its aim was to crowdfund and produce beautiful and useful cookbooks, Books Good Enough to Eat ®. However, as is the way of these things, by doing that I discovered that perhaps I couldn’t do that…
Having invested so much time and money, I didn’t want to give up the idea (and the lobster, which I loved!) but I couldn’t quite see what to do next. A little while later I went to America to visit my mum where I found some lovely notebooks and a new idea: food-inspired notebooks on beautiful paper. I was, and am, a stationery addict and I realised that producing notebooks would still allow me to combine my love of all things print and food, albeit on a much smaller scale.
Who are your books for?
Anyone, but especially those who love a really high-quality notebook and fountain-pen users (they use 100gsm paper, which has no show-through).
Do you take notes?
Yes, constantly.
What’s next for you?
I’m coming to the end of my first year which means it’s time to start thinking about a new range…
Describe yourself in three objects
Notebook, 1973 Karmann convertible Beetle, apron.
Notebook, Notes App or both?
Both.
What’s in your pencil case right now?
Waterman Hemisphere, Blackwing pencil, Muji post-its, eraser, pencil sharpener.
Pencil, ballpoint, gel, or fountain pen?
Fountain pen for myself. Pencil, ballpoint and gel when editing.
Which three famous people, (living or dead) would you like to have dinner with?
Virginia Woolf, Toni Morrison, my dad.
What’s the best thing about the place you live?
It’s London; it’s the best city in the world!
What’s your most treasured possession?
My dad’s watch, which I have worn every day possible since he died 16 years ago.
Where are some of your favourite stationery spots on the Internet?
I love Present & Correct’s Instagram feed, partly because it is as beautiful online as it is off. The shop is very close to where I live and I could go there every day and never get bored. The posts are full of humour, intelligence and lovely photography, just what you want (and don’t always get!) on social media.
